A group $G$ is called a group with boundedly finite conjugacy classes (or a BFC-group) if $G$ is finite-by-abelian. A group $G$ satisfies the maximal condition on non-BFC-subgroups if every ascending chain of non-BFC-subgroups terminates in finitely many steps. In this paper the authors obtain the structure of finitely generated soluble-by-finite groups with the maximal condition on non-BFC subgroups.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 20E15. Secondary 20F16; 20F24

For a Banach space $\mathfrak{X}$, let $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$ denote the Banach algebra of all continuous linear operators on $\mathfrak{X}$. First, we study the lattice of closed ideals in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{J}_p)$, where $1 \lt p \t \infty$ and $\mathfrak{J}_p$ is the $p$th James space. Our main result is that the ideal of weakly compact operators is the unique maximal ideal in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{J}_p)$. Applications of this result include the following.

(i) The Brown–McCoy radical of $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$, which by definition is the intersection of all maximal ideals in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$, cannot be turned into an operator ideal. This implies that there is no ‘Brown–McCoy’ analogue of Pietsch’s construction of the operator ideal of inessential operators from the Jacobson radical of $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})/\mathcal{A}(\mathfrak{X})$.

(ii) For each natural number $n$ and each $n$-tuple $(m_1,\dots,m_n)$ in $\{k^2\mid k\in\mathbb{N}\}\cup\{\infty\}$, there is a Banach space $\mathfrak{X}$ such that $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$ has exactly $n$ maximal ideals, and these maximal ideals have codimensions $m_1,\dots,m_n$ in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$, respectively; the Banach space $\mathfrak{X}$ is a finite direct sum of James spaces and $\ell_p$-spaces.

Second, building on the work of Gowers and Maurey, we obtain further examples of Banach spaces $\mathfrak{X}$ such that all the maximal ideals in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$ can be classified. We show that the ideal of strictly singular operators is the unique maximal ideal in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{X})$ for each hereditarily indecomposable Banach space $\mathfrak{X}$, and we prove that there are $2^{2^{\aleph_0}}$ distinct maximal ideals in $\mathcal{B}(\mathfrak{G})$, where $\mathfrak{G}$ is the Banach space constructed by Gowers to solve Banach’s hyperplane problem.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 47D30; 47D50; 46H10; 16D30

In this short note we show that $\sup\{\|M_\nu\|:\nu\text{ is a measure on }\mathbb{R}^n\}$, where $\|M_\nu\|$ denotes the centred Hardy–Littlewood maximal operator, depends exponentially on $n$.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 42B25

A weak form of faithfulness, depending on Green’s equivalence $\mathcal{D}$, is introduced for a ring $R$ graded by a semigroup $S$. Suppose that $R$ satisfies this condition. It is shown that if $e$ and $f$ are $\mathcal{D}$-equivalent idempotents of $S$ and $R_e$ is semiprime (respectively, prime, semiprimitive, right primitive), then $R_f$ is semiprime (respectively, prime, semiprimitive, right primitive). In addition, it is shown that if $G$ and $H$ are maximal subgroups of $S$ lying in the same $\mathcal{D}$-class and $R_G$ is semiprime (respectively, prime, semiprimitive, right primitive), then $R_H$ is semiprime (respectively, prime, semiprimitive, right primitive).

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 16W50. Secondary 20M25

It is shown that, for every sequence $(f_n)$ of stochastically independent functions defined on $[0,1]$—of mean zero and variance one, uniformly bounded by $M$—if the series $\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_nf_n$ converges to some constant on a set of positive measure, then there are only finitely many non-null coefficients $a_n$, extending similar results by Stechkin and Ul’yanov on the Rademacher system. The best constant $C_M$ is computed such that for every such sequence $(f_n)$ any set of measure strictly less than $C_M$ is a set of uniqueness for $(f_n)$.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification:Primary 42C25. Secondary 60G50

We study a system of ordinary differential equations linked by parameters and subject to boundary conditions depending on parameters. We assume certain definiteness conditions on the coefficient functions and on the boundary conditions that yield, in the corresponding abstract setting, a right-definite case. We give results on location of the eigenvalues and oscillation of the eigenfunctions.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34B08; 34B24

We establish a general sharp inequality for warped products in real space form. As applications, we show that if the warping function $f$ of a warped product $N_1\times_fN_2$ is a harmonic function, then

(1) every isometric minimal immersion of $N_1\times_fN_2$ into a Euclidean space is locally a warped-product immersion, and

(2) there are no isometric minimal immersions from $N_1\times_f N_2$ into hyperbolic spaces.

Moreover, we prove that if either $N_1$ is compact or the warping function $f$ is an eigenfunction of the Laplacian with positive eigenvalue, then $N_1\times_f N_2$ admits no isometric minimal immersion into a Euclidean space or a hyperbolic space for any codimension. We also provide examples to show that our results are sharp.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 53C40; 53C42; 53B25

We prove the following.

(1) The inequalities

$$ \biggl(2-\frac{1}{\varGamma(x)}\biggr)^{\!a}+\biggl(2-\frac{1}{\varGamma(1/x)}\biggr)^{\!a}\leq 2\leq\biggl(2-\frac{1}{\varGamma(x)}\biggr)^{\!b}+\biggl(2-\frac{1}{\varGamma(1/x)}\biggr)^{\!b} $$

hold for all $x>0$ if and only if

$$ -1.204\,64\ldots=2+\frac{1}{\gamma}-\frac{1}{6}\biggl(\frac{\pi}{\gamma}\biggr)^{\!2}\leq a\leq0\leq b. $$

(2) For all real numbers $x\in(0,1]$ we have

$$ x^{\alpha}\leq\frac{1}{2}\biggl(\frac{1}{\varGamma(x)}+\frac{1}{\varGamma(1/x)}\biggr)\leq x^{\beta}, $$

with the best possible constants

$$ \alpha=1.321\,76\dots\link{and}\beta=0. $$

These theorems extend and complement a result of Gautschi (from 1974), who proved that for all $x>0$ the harmonic mean of $\varGamma(x)$ and $\varGamma(1/x)$ is greater than or equal to $1$.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 33B15; 26D15

The system $\dot{X}=TX+Q(X)$ (in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$), where $T$ is linear and $Q$ is quadratic, is considered via commutative algebras. The case of the linearized system having a centre manifold spanned on vectors $E_{1}$, $E_{2}$ (and $TE_{1}=\omega E_{2}$, $TE_{2}=-\omega E_{1}$) is studied. It is shown that for $\Span(E_{1},E_{2})$ being a subalgebra (of the algebra corresponding to the form $Q(X)$), the system is stable. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for stability of the system in the case where $\mathrm{span}(E_{1},E_{2})$ is not a subalgebra.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34A34; 34C15; 34C27; 34C35. Secondary 13M99

Let $\tau$ be a partition of the positive integer $n$. A partition of the set $\{1,2,\dots,n\}$ is said to be of type $\tau$ if the sizes of its classes form the partition $\tau$ of $n$. It is known that the semigroup $S(\tau)$, generated by all the transformations with kernels of type $\tau$, is idempotent generated. When $\tau$ has a unique non-singleton class of size $d$, the difficult Middle Levels Conjecture of combinatorics obstructs the application of known techniques for determining the rank and idempotent rank of $S(\tau)$. We further develop existing techniques, associating with a subset $U$ of the set of all idempotents of $S(\tau)$ with kernels of type $\tau$ a directed graph $D(U)$; the directed graph $D(U)$ is strongly connected if and only if $U$ is a generating set for $S(\tau)$, a result which leads to a proof if the fact that the rank and the idempotent rank of $S(\tau)$ are both equal to

$$ \max\biggl\{\binom{n}{d},\binom{n}{d+1}\biggr\}. $$

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 20M20; 05A18; 05A17; 05C20

We consider the Sturm–Liouville equation

$$ -y''+qy=\lambda y\quad\text{on }[0,1], $$

subject to the boundary conditions

$$ y(0)\cos\alpha=y'(0)\sin\alpha,\quad\alpha\in[0,\pi), $$

and

$$\frac{y'}{y}(1)=a\lambda+b-\sum_{k=1}^N\frac{b_k}{\lambda-c_k}. $$

Topics treated include existence and asymptotics of eigenvalues, oscillation of eigenfunctions, and transformations between such problems.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34B24; 34L20

In this paper we give a short, direct proof, using only properties of the Haagerup tensor product, that if an operator algebra $A$ possesses a diagonal in the Haagerup tensor product of $A$ with itself, then $A$ must be isomorphic to a finite-dimensional $C^*$-algebra. Consequently, for operator algebras, the first Hochschild cohomology group $H^1(A,X)=0$ for every bounded, Banach $A$-bimodule $X$, if and only if $A$ is isomorphic to a finite-dimensional $C^*$-algebra.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 46L06. Secondary 46L05

Precise bounds are given for the quantity

$$ L(\alpha)=\frac{\limsup_{m\rightarrow\infty}(1/m)\ln q_m}{\liminf_{m\rightarrow\infty}(1/m)\ln q_m}, $$

where $(q_m)$ is the classical sequence of denominators of convergents to the continued fraction $\alpha=[0,u_1,u_2,\dots]$ and $(u_m)$ is assumed bounded, with a distribution.

If the infinite word $\bm{u}=u_1u_2\dots$ has arbitrarily large instances of segment repetition at or near the beginning of the word, then we quantify this property by means of a number $\gamma$, called the segment-repetition factor.

If $\alpha$ is not a quadratic irrational, then we produce a specific sequence of quadratic irrational approximations to $\alpha$, the rate of convergence given in terms of $L$ and $\gamma$. As an application, we demonstrate the transcendence of some continued fractions, a typical one being of the form $[0,u_1,u_2,\dots]$ with $u_m=1+\lfloor m\theta\rfloor\Mod n$, $n\geq2$, and $\theta$ an irrational number which satisfies any of a given set of conditions.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 11A55. Secondary 11B37

Felix and Murillo introduced the group $\mathrm{Aut}_\varOmega(X)$ of self-maps $f$ of $X$, which satisfy $\sOm f=1_{\varOmega X}$, and proved that the group is nilpotent with the order of nilpotency bounded by the Lusternik–Schnirelmann category of $X$. In this paper we construct a spectral sequence converging to the group $\mathrm{Aut}_\varOmega(X)$ and derive several interesting consequences.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 55P42

For a closed set $E$ contained in the closed unit interval, we show that the big Lipschitz algebra $\varLambda_{\gamma}(E)$ $(0\lt\gamma\lt1)$ is sequentially weak$^{\ast}$ generated by its idempotents if and only if it is weak$^{\ast}$ generated by its idempotents if and only if the little Lipschitz algebra $\lambda_{\gamma}(E)$ is generated by its idempotents, and we describe a class of perfect symmetric sets for which this holds. Moreover, we prove that $\varLambda_1(E)$ is sequentially weak$^{\ast}$ generated by its idempotents if and only if $E$ is of measure zero. Finally, we show that the quotient algebras

$$ \mathcal{A}_{\beta}/\overline{J_{\beta}(E)}^{\text{weak}^{\ast}} $$

of the Beurling algebras need not be weak$^{\ast}$ generated by their idempotents, when $E$ is of measure zero and $\beta\ge\tfrac{1}{2}$.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 46J10; 46J30; 26A16; 42A16

We study one-relator free products in which the relator has free-product length $4$. We find conditions for such presentations to have a Freiheitssatz and classify all non-aspherical presentations under certain conditions.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 20F05; 20F06; 20F10

We show that in the classical (fixed-monomer-concentration) Becker–Döring equations truncated at finite cluster size, the slow evolution (metastability) of solutions can be explained in terms of the eigensystem of this linear ordinary differential equation (ODE) system. In particular, for a common choice of coagulation–fragmentation rate constants there is an extremely small non-zero eigenvalue which is isolated from the rest of the spectrum. We give estimates and bounds on the size of this eigenvalue, the gap between it and the second smallest, and the size of the largest eigenvalue. The bounds on the smallest eigenvalue are very sharp when the system size and/or monomer concentration are large enough.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34A30; 15A18; 65F15

Let $G$ be a periodic residually finite group containing a nilpotent subgroup $A$ such that $C_G(A)$ is finite. We show that if $\langle A,A^g\rangle$ is finite for any $g\in G$, then $G$ is locally finite.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 20F50

This paper gives a number which is used to determine the component number of links from their associated planar graphs. In particular, we use this number to determine the component numbers of links whose associated planar graphs are fans, wheels and 2-sums of graphs.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 05C10

This paper concerns perturbations of smooth vector fields on $\mathbb{T}^n$ (constant if $n\geq3$) with zeroth-order $C^\infty$ and Gevrey $G^\sigma$, $\sigma\geq1$, pseudodifferential operators. Simultaneous resonance is introduced and simultaneous resonant normal forms are exhibited (via conjugation with an elliptic pseudodifferential operator) under optimal simultaneous Diophantine conditions outside the resonances. In the $C^\infty$ category the results are complete, while in the Gevrey category the effect of the loss of the Gevrey regularity of the conjugating operators due to Diophantine conditions is encountered. The normal forms are used to study global hypoellipticity in $C^\infty$ and Gevrey $G^\sigma$. Finally, the exceptional sets associated with the simultaneous Diophantine conditions are studied. A generalized Hausdorff dimension is used to give precise estimates of the ‘size’ of different exceptional sets, including some inhomogeneous examples.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 37C15; 11J13. Secondary 58J40; 11J20; 35H05